(Generated by [[Claude|Claude]] using the Exa and Sequential-Thinking tools)
This comprehensive guide will help you create a visually engaging, ADHD-optimized Obsidian vault using Emoji Kitchen combinations. You'll learn how to transform your notes, journal entries, and mood tracking into a vibrant, attention-grabbing system that works with your brain instead of against it.
ADHD brains often:
- Process visual information more effectively than plain text
- Have stronger recall when information has unique visual anchors
- Benefit from pattern recognition and visual categorization
- Need external cues for attention and memory
- Respond strongly to novelty and color
- Get bored with static organizational systems
Emoji Kitchen's colorful, unique combinations provide perfect visual anchors that make information more memorable and help direct attention exactly where it's needed.
Here are carefully selected emoji combinations organized by category to help you track emotions, manage tasks, enhance journal entries, and organize your digital garden.
Happiness Spectrum
- Mild happiness: 😊+☀️ (smiling face with sun)
- Moderate happiness: 😊+🌟 (smiling face with sparkle)
- Intense happiness: 😊+🎉 (smiling face with party)
Sadness Spectrum
- Mild sadness: 😔+☁️ (pensive face with cloud)
- Moderate sadness: 😔+🌧️ (pensive face with rain)
- Intense sadness: 😔+⚡ (pensive face with lightning)
Anxiety Spectrum
- Mild anxiety: 😰+🌀 (anxious face with spiral)
- Moderate anxiety: 😰+🌪️ (anxious face with tornado)
- Severe anxiety: 😰+💥 (anxious face with explosion)
Anger Spectrum
- Mild frustration: 😠+🔥 (angry face with fire)
- Moderate anger: 🤬+🔥 (cursing face with fire)
- Intense anger: 🤬+💥 (cursing face with explosion)
Focus & Concentration
- Good focus: 🧠+💡 (brain with lightbulb)
- Brain fog: 🧠+☁️ (brain with cloud)
- Scattered thoughts: 🧠+🌪️ (brain with tornado)
Energy Levels
- Low energy: 🔋+💤 (battery with sleep)
- Moderate energy: 🔋+⚡ (battery with lightning)
- High energy: 🔋+💯 (battery with 100)
Hormonal Effects
- Hormonal waves: 💊+🌊 (pill with wave)
- Hormonal changes: 💊+🔄 (pill with cycle)
Physical & Emotional Changes
- Transformation: 🦋+💫 (butterfly with sparkle)
- Growth/blooming: 🌱+🌸 (seedling with blossom)
- Emotional journey: 🗺️+💖 (map with heart)
- Gender euphoria: 🦋+💖 (butterfly with heart)
- Gender expression joy: 🌈+🦋 (rainbow with butterfly)
Side Effects
- Fatigue: 💊+😴 (pill with sleepy face)
- Hot flashes: 💊+🔥 (pill with fire)
- Emotional sensitivity: 💊+😢 (pill with tears)
Time of Day Markers
- Morning: ☀️+☕ (sun with coffee)
- Midday: ☀️+💯 (sun with 100)
- Evening: 🌙+💫 (moon with sparkle)
- Late night: 🌙+💤 (moon with sleep)
Entry Types
- Reflection: 📝+💭 (paper with thought bubble)
- Idea: 📝+💡 (paper with lightbulb)
- Observation: 📝+🔍 (paper with magnifying glass)
- Memory: 📸+💖 (camera with heart)
- Dream: 🛌+💭 (bed with thought bubble)
Productivity Markers
- Productive day: 📝+🚀 (paper with rocket)
- Slow day: 📝+🐌 (paper with snail)
- Focused day: 📝+🎯 (paper with target)
- Creative day: 📝+🎨 (paper with art palette)
Priority Levels
- Urgent: 🔥+
⚠️ (fire with warning) - High priority: 🔥+📌 (fire with pin)
- Time-sensitive: ⏰+📌 (clock with pin)
- Low priority: 🍃+📝 (leaf with paper)
Task Status
- Completed: 🚀+✅ (rocket with checkmark)
- In progress: 🚀+🔄 (rocket with cycle)
- Waiting: 🚀+⏳ (rocket with hourglass)
- Blocked: 🚀+🚧 (rocket with barrier)
Task Categories
- Learning: 🧠+📚 (brain with books)
- Health/fitness: 💪+🏆 (muscle with trophy)
- Work: 💻+💼 (computer with briefcase)
- Creative: 🎨+📝 (art with paper)
- Chores: 🧹+📝 (broom with paper)
Effort Level
- Quick task: 🐇+📝 (rabbit with paper)
- Methodical task: 🐢+📝 (turtle with paper)
- Difficult task: 🦬+📝 (buffalo with paper)
Content Types
- Gaming notes: 🎮+📝 (controller with paper)
- Research: 🔬+📝 (microscope with paper)
- Personal reflections: 💭+📝 (thought with paper)
- Technical notes: ⚙️+📝 (gear with paper)
Content Status
- Seedling idea: 🌱+📚 (seedling with books)
- Developing idea: 🌿+📚 (plant with books)
- Mature content: 🌳+📚 (tree with books)
Connection Markers
- Connected ideas: 🧩+🔗 (puzzle with link)
- Network of thoughts: 🌐+💡 (globe with lightbulb)
- Reference link: 📚+🔗 (books with link)
-
Create a dedicated folder structure in your vault:
Emoji_Kitchen/ ├── Emotions/ ├── Tasks/ ├── Journal/ ├── Transition/ └── DigitalGarden/ -
Collect the emoji combinations:
- Visit emojikitchen.dev
- Search for each emoji pair from the lists above
- Use Web Clipper or right-click → Save Image to download them
- Save with clear naming conventions (e.g., "happy-mild.png", "focus-good.png")
-
Create a master reference note:
-
Make an "Emoji Kitchen Gallery" note
-
Embed all your emoji combinations organized by category
-
Include when to use each one
-
Example:
## Emotion Tracking### Happiness![[happy-mild.png]] - Mild happiness![[happy-moderate.png]] - Moderate happiness![[happy-intense.png]] - Intense happiness
-
# Daily Note - {{date}}
## 🌞+☕ Morning Check-in
![[sun-coffee.png]]
**Mood:** ![[emoji_mood_scale.png]]
**Energy:** ![[emoji_energy_scale.png]]
**Focus:** ![[emoji_focus_scale.png]]
**HRT Effects Today:**
- Physical: ![[butterfly-sparkle.png]]
- Emotional: ![[heart-wave.png]]
- Side effects: ![[pill-fire.png]] | ![[pill-sleep.png]] | ![[pill-tear.png]]
**What's having the biggest impact today?**
![[target-arrow.png]]
-
## 📝+🚀 Today's Tasks
![[rocket-clipboard.png]]
**Urgent:**
- [ ]
**Important:**
- [ ]
**Nice to do:**
- [ ]
## 📝+💡 Ideas & Insights
![[bulb-paper.png]]
-
## 📝+💭 Reflections
![[thought-paper.png]]
-
## 📸+💖 Today's Highlights
![[camera-heart.png]]
- # Mood Check-in - {{date}} {{time}}
## Overall Mood Rating
![[mood-slider.png]]
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10
## Primary Emotions
Select all that apply:
### 😊+☀️ Happy
- [ ] ![[happy-mild.png]] Mild happiness
- [ ] ![[happy-moderate.png]] Moderate happiness
- [ ] ![[happy-intense.png]] Intense happiness
### 😔+☁️ Sad
- [ ] ![[sad-mild.png]] Mild sadness
- [ ] ![[sad-moderate.png]] Moderate sadness
- [ ] ![[sad-intense.png]] Intense sadness
### 😰+🌀 Anxious
- [ ] ![[anxious-mild.png]] Mild anxiety
- [ ] ![[anxious-moderate.png]] Moderate anxiety
- [ ] ![[anxious-severe.png]] Severe anxiety
### 😠+🔥 Angry
- [ ] ![[angry-mild.png]] Mild anger
- [ ] ![[angry-moderate.png]] Moderate anger
- [ ] ![[angry-intense.png]] Intense anger
## Transition-Related Feelings
- [ ] ![[butterfly-sparkle.png]] Gender euphoria
- [ ] ![[butterfly-cloud.png]] Gender uncertainty
- [ ] ![[butterfly-heart.png]] Body positivity
- [ ] ![[butterfly-tear.png]] Dysphoria
## What's having the biggest impact?
![[target-arrow.png]]
-
## Additional Context
![[pencil-paper.png]]
- # ![[home-heart.png]] Homepage
![[welcome-rainbow.png]] Welcome home, love
## Quick Actions
![[button-purple.png]] [[Open Daily Note]]
![[button-blue.png]] [[New Observation]]
![[button-green.png]] [[Mood Check-in]]
## Current Mood
![[mood-current.png]]
## Recent Notes
![[folder-recent.png]]
| File | Last Modified |
|------|--------------|
| [[Homepage]] | {{date}} |
| [[2025-03-06]] | 2:59 PM - March 06, 2025 |
| [[Mia]] | 2:50 PM - March 06, 2025 |
| [[2025]] | 2:49 PM - March 06, 2025 |
| [[March]] | 2:49 PM - March 06, 2025 |
## 2025
![[calendar-heart.png]]
* [[January]]
* [[February]]
* [[March]]# ![[eye-magnify.png]] {{title}}
---
type: observation
date: {{date}}
tags:
- observation
---
![[thought-bulb.png]]
{{content}}
## Linked mentions ![[puzzle-link.png]]# ![[clipboard-check.png]] Task List
## ![[fire-warning.png]] Urgent
- [ ]
## ![[arrow-target.png]] Important
- [ ]
## ![[clock-paper.png]] Scheduled
- [ ]
## ![[butterfly-heart.png]] Self-Care
- [ ]
## ![[lightbulb-paper.png]] Project Ideas
- [ ] For a truly ADHD-friendly system, automation is key to reducing friction. Here's a simple Python script concept that could help collect and organize your Emoji Kitchen combinations:
import requests
import os
import shutil
from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
# Configuration - emoji combinations by category
EMOJI_COMBOS = {
"mood": [
{"name": "happy_mild", "emoji1": "😊", "emoji2": "☀️", "description": "Mild happiness"},
{"name": "happy_moderate", "emoji1": "😊", "emoji2": "🌟", "description": "Moderate happiness"},
# More combinations...
],
"tasks": [
{"name": "urgent", "emoji1": "🔥", "emoji2": "⚠️", "description": "Urgent task"},
# More combinations...
],
# More categories...
}
def download_emoji_combo(emoji1, emoji2, output_path, name):
# Logic to download the emoji combination from emojikitchen.dev
# This would require understanding the site's URL structure or API
pass
def generate_reference_markdown(emoji_data, output_path):
# Generate a markdown file with all the emoji combinations organized by category
pass
def main():
# Create base directory structure
os.makedirs("obsidian_emoji_kitchen", exist_ok=True)
# Process each category
for category, combos in EMOJI_COMBOS.items():
category_path = os.path.join("obsidian_emoji_kitchen", category)
os.makedirs(category_path, exist_ok=True)
# Download each combination
for combo in combos:
download_emoji_combo(combo["emoji1"], combo["emoji2"],
category_path, combo["name"])
# Generate reference file
generate_reference_markdown(EMOJI_COMBOS, "obsidian_emoji_kitchen/reference.md")
print("Emoji Kitchen combinations downloaded and organized successfully!")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()If you're not comfortable with Python, you can:
- Create a spreadsheet listing all desired emoji combinations
- Manually download each one using a consistent naming system
- Organize them into folders in your Obsidian vault
Several Obsidian plugins can enhance your Emoji Kitchen system:
- Templater: Create dynamic templates that insert different emoji combinations based on variables like time of day or day of week
- Dataview: Query and display different emoji combinations based on metadata
- Buttons: Create clickable buttons with emoji combinations for quick actions
- Custom Frames: Embed emojikitchen.dev directly in Obsidian for easy access
- Image Toolkit: Better manage and view your emoji images
People with ADHD often experience "emoji blindness" where visual elements become invisible over time. To combat this:
- Rotate your emoji combinations periodically: Change them every few weeks to maintain novelty
- Create seasonal variations: Use different themes for different seasons or months
- Develop "special occasion" combinations: Create unique combinations for important events or milestones
- Start small: Begin with just 5-10 essential emoji combinations
- Add gradually: Introduce new combinations only as you comfortable with existing ones
- Focus on high-value areas first: Start with the categories that will help you most (e.g., task management or mood tracking)
- Schedule regular reviews: Set a monthly reminder to evaluate which combinations are working
- Keep a master reference: Always maintain your Emoji Kitchen Gallery for easy reference
- Balance consistency and novelty: Keep core organizational elements consistent while refreshing visual elements
This system turns your Obsidian vault into a visually engaging, ADHD-friendly environment that works with your brain's strengths. The unique emoji combinations create strong visual anchors that help with focus, memory, and emotional regulation while making your digital garden more engaging and fun to use.
Remember that this system should evolve with you - adjust and personalize it based on what works best for your unique brain. The perfect system is the one you'll actually use!